The meaning of the lyrics of the song "About two musclemen brothers, Prova and Nikolay." (Pro dvuh gromilov bratev Prova i Nikolaya) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Here is the English translation of the text you provided:

In the village of Bolshiye Vily,

Where a barn had burned down,

Lived two bullies, scary and burly,

Of enormous, monstrous might -

Brothers Prov and Nikolai.

Nikolai - the more brazen one -

Once mowed down a forest by mistake,

While Prov would barge into bedrooms,

Smashing walls - just for fun's sake.

These brothers, they wouldn't lift a finger,

Just drank chaga tea all day,

While villagers, big and little, would linger,

Hidden in the ravine, far away.

Finally, their patience wore thin,

After all, what's right is right,

And the villagers decided within,

To confront the brothers' might.

Nikolai, the more brazen one,

Was breaking a bull's neck that day,

While Prov, in some bedroom he'd begun,

Was punching a wall, just for play.

"Hey, bro, look - villagers are near,

With pitchforks, can't you hear?

Why are they out of the ravine, my dear,

It seems awfully early this year!"

It's impolite to start with a brawl,

That's not how a peasant behaves,

So they started with a verbal squall:

"What's the use, tell us, you pals,

Of a bull with no horns to save?"

Nikolai found this rather strange:

"If you pity the bull, that's a riot,

My brother and I, we'd gladly arrange,

To give all of you a good hiding!"

Somewhere in the field, a hare froze,

Stood still - and then ran away...

Prov hesitated, the wicked soul he was,

Having caused such disarray.

"Well then, who dares to make a move?

I'll deal with any foe!"

The men crossed themselves, then made a groove,

All together, they started to shove:

Some with crowbars, others with a blow.

Nikolai, concerned for his brother's sake,

Held back the first wave of the attack,

While Prov took cover in the shack,

And from within, he just laughed.

From the villagers' powerful drive,

The shack began to fall apart,

Prov ripped off half the fence, to survive,

And help his brother play his part.

"Enough, brother, with the defense,

If we fall, then let us fall!

Kolya, no need to be tense,

Their pitchforks have lost their defense,

It's time to attack, Kolya, that's all!"

Wives and children, filled with despair,

Would soon be shedding tears...

But both brothers decided to spare,

The villagers, for now, and forbear.

"Keep your eyes peeled, brother, don't stray,

They're coming from behind!"

"Maybe it's a beast of prey?"

"Doesn't look like it, anyway."

The thing is, a stranger had come that way,

To our village, just for a night's keep,

And he stayed till the Assumption Day,

And then, in the settlement, he did stay,

A useless, good-for-nothing heap.

And now, amidst all the loud cries,

No one noticed or heard,

How this very same горемыка wise,

Whispered something to the brothers' eyes.

Blood was already flowing in streams,

So what was left to be said?

"Beat the brothers!" - But then it seems,

Something strange happened, like in dreams:

As if a sudden weakness did seize,

The brothers began to retreat,

It's like they instantly lost their ease...

The villagers then made their pleas,

For the brothers to never more repeat.

...For a long time, they pondered and thought,

What the blessed one had said,

They scratched their heads, but to no avail, they fought,

Not a single one of them had a thought.

And they decided: he must possess,

Some ancient, magical art...

And he just said: "Brothers, confess,

Aren't you ashamed of yourselves, no less?"

Как в селе Большие Вилы,

Где еще сгорел сарай,

Жили-были два громилы

Огромадной жуткой силы -

Братья Пров и Николай.

Николай - что понахальней -

По ошибке лес скосил,

Ну а Пров - в опочивальни

Рушил стены - и входил.

Как братья не вяжут лыка,

Пьют отвар из чаги -

Все от мала до велика

Прячутся в овраге.

В общем, лопнуло терпенье,-

Ведь добро - свое, не чье,-

И идти на усмиренье

Порешило мужичье.

Николай - что понахальней,-

В тот момент быка ломал,

ну а Пров в какой-то спальне

С маху стену прошибал.

"Эй, братан, гляди - ватага,-

С кольями, да слышь ли,-

Чтой-то нынче из оврага

Рановато вышли!"

Неудобно сразу драться -

Наш мужик так не привык,-

Стали прежде задираться:

"Для чего, скажите, братцы,

Нужен вам безрогий бык?!"

Николаю это странно:

"Если жалко вам быка -

С удовольствием с братаном

Можем вам намять бока!"

Где-то в поле замер заяц,

Постоял - и ходу...

Пров ломается, мерзавец,

Сотворивши шкоду.

"Ну-ка, кто попробуй вылезь -

Вмиг разделаюсь с врагом!"

Мужики перекрестились -

Всей ватагой навалились:

Кто - багром, кто - батогом.

Николай, печась о брате,

Первый натиск отражал,

Ну а Пров укрылся в хате

И оттуда хохотал.

От могучего напора

Развалилась хата,-

Пров оттяпал ползабора

Для спасенья брата.

"Хватит, брат, обороняться -

Пропадать так пропадать!

Коля, нечего стесняться,-

Колья начали ломаться,-

Надо, Коля, нападать!"

По мужьям да по ребятам

Будут бабы слезы лить...

Но решили оба брата

С наступленьем погодить.

"Гляди в оба, братень,-

Со спины заходят!"

"Может, оборотень?"

"Не похоже вроде!"

Дело в том, что к нам в селенье

Напросился на ночлег -

И остался до Успенья,

А потом - на поселенье

Никчемушный человек.

И сейчас вот из-за крика

Ни один не услыхал:

Этот самый горемыка

Чтой-то братьям приказал.

Кровь уже лилась ручьями,-

Так о чем же речь-то?

"Бей братьев!" - Но вдруг с братьями

Сотворилось нечто:

Братьев как бы подкосило -

Стали братья отступать -

Будто вмиг лишились силы...

Мужичье их попросило

Больше бед не сотворять.

...Долго думали-гадали,

Что блаженный им сказал,-

Как затылков ни чесали -

Ни один не угадал.

И решили: он заклятьем

Обладает, видно...

Ну а он сказал лишь: "Братья,

Как же вам не стыдно!"

In his song "About Two Bullies, Brothers Prov and Nikolay," Vladimir Vysotsky uses satirical grotesque to demonstrate the senselessness and stupidity of violence, as well as the power of conscience and simple human shame.

Two bully brothers, Prov and Nikolay, terrorize an entire village with their antics. They are so strong that they can demolish houses and accidentally mow down a forest. Their actions drive the villagers to despair, and they decide to fight back.

However, despite all their strength, the brothers are powerless in the face of the simple words of a holy fool who shames them for their behavior. The phrase "Aren't you ashamed of yourselves!" has a stunning effect on them.

Vysotsky shows that true strength lies not in brute physical power, but in moral superiority. The words of the holy fool, devoid of any aggression, prove to be stronger than fists and stakes.

The brothers, accustomed to impunity and universal fear, are faced with an unexpected force – the force of conscience. They cannot resist it, because deep down, perhaps, they themselves realize the wrongfulness of their actions.